June through November
Hurricane-season prep checklist
Done in May, most of this is an ordinary morning. Done the week of a watch, it is a scramble.
Step 1: Before June 1: the yard walk
Thin dense canopies and take out dead fronds and dead wood
Take mature coconuts down from palms we trim
Check stakes and ties on young trees
Clear gutters, downspouts and drains
Find the irrigation shut-off and the controller
Photograph the yard for your own records
Step 2: Each month of the season
Look over stakes and ties after a strong wind
Keep mulch back from trunks so water drains away
Look up for cracked limbs and hanging fronds
Keep drains and swales clear of leaves
Step 3: When a watch is issued
Move pots, furniture and ornaments inside or low
Leave pruning for later: fresh cuttings blow around
Turn off the irrigation controller
We move scheduled visits and tell you the new day
Step 4: After the storm
Stay clear of broken limbs and anything near a power line
Photograph damage for your insurer before moving anything
Call the utility about lines; call us about the garden
We check on current clients first, then take new calls as the crew allows
Trees and palms
Thin the crown, not the tree
A lighter crown catches less wind. Our climbers take out dead fronds, heavy fruit and weak wood, and leave the shape of the tree alone.
Clogged drains do as much harm as a broken limb, so we clear drains and swales on the same visit, and where the site allows we send downspouts into planting beds.
What we will not do
Four things we say no to
A good crew knows where to stop.
Topping a tree
Heavy cuts and stripped crowns tend to weaken a tree, so each cut has to have a reason.
Pruning on the day of a watch
Fresh cuttings left out become things that blow around. We move the visit instead.
Promising a storm-proof garden
No planting is storm-proof. We say what lowers the risk and what it cannot do.
Working near a power line
Anything in or near a line is a job for the utility first.
About prep visits
When should I book hurricane prep?
Before June if you can. The earlier months are the ones the crew can plan, and the season’s first watch is not the time to start.
Do you remove coconuts?
Yes, from palms we trim. Mature coconuts and heavy fruit pods come down as part of the cleaning.
Will thinning make my tree storm-proof?
No. Thinning lowers wind load and removes weak wood, and a healthy, well-staked tree stands a better chance. It does not make a tree safe from a storm.
Do you cut protected trees?
We check first. Some large trees are protected under city rules, and if a permit is needed it is yours to file.
Book a prep visit
Tell us where the trees and palms are and when you would like us there.